Vehicle surge and spark timing control

ABSTRACT

A method is described for operating an engine of a vehicle, the engine having a combustion chamber. The method may include controlling a stability of the vehicle in response to a vehicle acceleration; and adjusting spark timing in the combustion chamber of the engine in response to a knock indication, and further adjusting spark timing in response to the vehicle acceleration to reduce surge.

FIELD

The present application relates to engine control using accelerometersto detect vehicle surge.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Vehicles may experience fluctuation in engine torque, manifested as avehicle oscillation, and which may be referred to as surge. Surge may becaused by poor combustion stability due to a variety of engine operatingconditions, including air-fuel ratio, burnt gas amount, fueling, andignition timing. Poor combustion stability may be caused or aggravatedby changes in environmental factors including ambient temperature,altitude, humidity, and others.

One example approach for addressing surge in a lean burn engine adjustsair-fuel ratio. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,445, the enginecontrol is switched from a lean combustion state to a stoichiometriccombustion state in response to surge. In particular, changes in enginespeed provide a surge index, which is then used to adjust the fuelinjection amount, and thus the air-fuel ratio.

However, the inventors herein have recognized disadvantages with such anapproach. For example, surge conditions may be initiated due to degradedfeedback knock control, where spark timing is adjusted responsive to aknock indication. Specifically, the engine controller may identify knockvia a knock sensor, and retard spark timing in response thereto in orderto abate engine knock. However, once the knock is abated, the enginecontroller may advance spark timing. Under some conditions, the sparktiming may be advanced too quickly, or too far, thus again generatingknock. This feedback cycle may repeat, thus generating vehicle surgeconditions. Additionally, simply operating with excessive spark retard,such as during cold conditions for catalyst warm-up, may also result inengine surge.

In one approach, the above issues may be addressed by a method foroperating an engine of a vehicle, the engine having a combustionchamber, comprising: controlling a stability of the vehicle in responseto a vehicle acceleration; and adjusting spark timing in the combustionchamber of the engine in response to a knock indication, and furtheradjusting spark timing in response to the vehicle acceleration to reducesurge. In another approach, the method may include controlling astability of the vehicle in response to a vehicle longitudinalacceleration indicated from an accelerometer coupled in the vehicle;retarding spark timing in the combustion chamber of the engine from peaktorque timing in response to an operating condition; and when vehiclesurge is identified by the vehicle acceleration from the accelerometer,advancing spark timing.

In this way, it is possible to take advantage of the accelerationinformation for both stability control and spark-timing induced surgecontrol. Further, by appropriately adjusting spark timing underappropriate surge conditions as indicated by the vehicle acceleration,surge may be addressed. For example, by adjusting spark timing inresponse to acceleration to reduce surge when performing feedback knockcontrol, it is possible to compensate for surged induced by the feedbackknock control. As another example, by advancing spark timing in responseto the vehicle acceleration, it is possible to compensate for effectssurge caused by spark retard.

It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introducein simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described inthe detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essentialfeatures of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defineduniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description.Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited toimplementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any partof this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of one cylinder in the internalcombustion engine;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle including anengine, transmission, and associated systems;

FIG. 3 shows an example block diagram of a surge detection and controlsequence;

FIG. 4 shows an example process flow of a surge detection routine; and

FIG. 5 shows an example process flow of a surge control routine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A system and method for operating an engine of a vehicle are described.The vehicle includes one or more acceleration sensors incorporated intoa vehicle stability control system, such as a roll stability system.Additionally, information from one or more of the acceleration sensorsassociated with the stability control system is processed to provide anindication of surge in the longitudinal direction of vehicle travel. Inparticular, the system may identify surge caused by variation in engineoutput torque, which is in turn caused by variation in dilution, or byexcessive dilution, or by excessive spark retard. In response, thesystem can adjust operating parameters to manage the dilution and sparkretard and their effects, thereby improving drive feel and reducingvehicle surge.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it shows a schematic diagram showing onecylinder of multi-cylinder engine 10, which may be included in apropulsion system of a vehicle. Engine 10 may be controlled at leastpartially by a control system including controller 12 and by input froma vehicle operator 132 via an input device 130. In this example, inputdevice 130 includes an accelerator pedal and a pedal position sensor 134for generating a proportional pedal position signal PP. Combustionchamber (i.e. cylinder) 30 of engine 10 may include combustion chamberwalls 32 with piston 36 positioned therein. Piston 36 may be coupled tocrankshaft 40 so that reciprocating motion of the piston is translatedinto rotational motion of the crankshaft. Crankshaft 40 may be coupledto at least one drive wheel of a vehicle via an intermediatetransmission system. Further, a starter motor may be coupled tocrankshaft 40 via a flywheel to enable a starting operation of engine10.

Combustion chamber 30 may receive intake air from intake manifold 44 viaintake passage 42 and may exhaust combustion gases via exhaust passage48. Intake manifold 44 and exhaust passage 48 can selectivelycommunicate with combustion chamber 30 via respective intake valve 52and exhaust valve 54. In some embodiments, combustion chamber 30 mayinclude two or more intake valves and/or two or more exhaust valves.

In this example, intake valve 52 and exhaust valve 54 may be controlledby cam actuation via respective cam actuation systems 51 and 53. Camactuation systems 51 and 53 may each include one or more cams and mayutilize one or more of cam profile switching (CPS), variable cam timing(VCT), variable valve timing (VVT) and/or variable valve lift (VVL)systems that may be operated by controller 12 to vary valve operation.The position of intake valve 52 and exhaust valve 54 may be determinedby position sensors 55 and 57, respectively. In alternative embodiments,intake valve 52 and/or exhaust valve 54 may be controlled by electricvalve actuation. For example, cylinder 30 may alternatively include anintake valve controlled via electric valve actuation and an exhaustvalve controlled via cam actuation including CPS and/or VCT systems.

The engine 10 may include an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system 46that receives a portion of an exhaust gas stream exiting the combustionchamber 30, and recirculates the exhaust gases into the intake manifold44 via an EGR valve 142. The amount of exhaust gases passing to theintake may be determined via a sensor 140.

Engine 10 may dilute the cylinder charge with burnt residual exhaustgases. For example, EGR and adjustment of valve lift/timing of theintake/exhaust valves may be used to provide and adjust the cylinderdilution.

Fuel injector 66 is shown coupled directly to combustion chamber 30 forinjecting fuel directly therein in proportion to the pulse width ofsignal FPW received from controller 12 via electronic driver 68. In thismanner, fuel injector 66 provides what is known as direct injection offuel into combustion chamber 30. The fuel injector may be mounted on theside of the combustion chamber or in the top of the combustion chamber,for example. Fuel may be delivered to fuel injector 66 by a fueldelivery system (not shown) including a fuel tank, a fuel pump, and afuel rail. In some embodiments, combustion chamber 30 may alternativelyor additionally include a fuel injector arranged in intake passage 42 ina configuration that provides what is known as port injection of fuelinto the intake port upstream of combustion chamber 30.

Intake passage 42 may include a throttle 62 having a throttle plate 64.In this particular example, the position of throttle plate 64 may bevaried by controller 12 via a signal provided to an electric motor oractuator included with throttle 62, a configuration that is commonlyreferred to as electronic throttle control (ETC). In this manner,throttle 62 may be operated to vary the intake air provided tocombustion chamber 30 among other engine cylinders. The position ofthrottle plate 64 may be provided to controller 12 by throttle positionsignal TP. Intake passage 42 may include a mass air flow sensor 120 anda manifold air pressure sensor 122 for providing respective signals MAFand MAP to controller 12.

Ignition system 88 can provide an ignition spark to combustion chamber30 via spark plug 92 in response to spark advance, or spark timing,signal SA from controller 12, under select operating modes. Though sparkignition components are shown, in some embodiments, combustion chamber30 or one or more other combustion chambers of engine 10 may be operatedin a compression ignition mode, with or without an ignition spark.

Exhaust gas sensor 126 is shown coupled to exhaust passage 48. Sensor126 may be any suitable sensor for providing an indication of exhaustgas air/fuel ratio such as a linear oxygen sensor or UEGO (universal orwide-range exhaust gas oxygen), a two-state oxygen sensor or EGO, a HEGO(heated EGO), a NOx, HC, or CO sensor. The exhaust system may includelight-off catalysts and underbody catalysts, as well as exhaustmanifold, upstream and/or downstream air-fuel ratio sensors.

Controller 12 is shown in FIG. 1 as a microcomputer, includingmicroprocessor unit 102, input/output ports 104, an electronic storagemedium for executable programs and calibration values shown as read onlymemory chip 106 in this particular example, random access memory 108,keep alive memory 110, and a data bus. The controller 12 may receivevarious signals from sensors coupled to engine 10, in addition to thosesignals previously discussed, including measurement of inducted mass airflow (MAF) from mass air flow sensor 120; engine coolant temperature(ECT) from temperature sensor 112 coupled to cooling sleeve 114; aprofile ignition pickup signal (PIP) from Hall effect sensor 118 (orother type) coupled to crankshaft 40; throttle position (TP) from athrottle position sensor; and absolute manifold pressure signal, MAP,from sensor 122. Storage medium read-only memory 106 can be programmedwith computer readable data representing instructions executable byprocessor 102 for performing the methods described below as well asvariations thereof.

As described above, FIG. 1 shows only one cylinder of a multi-cylinderengine, and each cylinder may similarly include its own set ofintake/exhaust valves, fuel injector, spark plug, etc.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a transmission 224 and a controlsystem 225 in a vehicle 200. The control system may include anElectronic Stability Control ESC system, such as a Roll StabilityControl RSC system, discussed in more detail herein.

Engine 10 may be operably coupled to transmission 224. The transmissionmay have a plurality of selectable gears, allowing the power generatedby the engine to be transferred to the wheels. In another example, thetransmission may be a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), capableof changing steplessly through an infinite number of gear ratios. Thetransmission may be operably coupled to two or four wheels of thevehicle, (228, 230, 232, and/or 234).

A plurality of acceleration sensors, such as accelerometers, may becoupled to the vehicle. Specifically, in one example, a lateralacceleration sensor 226 and a longitudinal sensor 227 are coupled to thevehicle. The lateral acceleration sensor is configured to measure thelateral acceleration of the vehicle, and the longitudinal accelerationsensor is configured to measure the longitudinal acceleration of thevehicle. In other examples, alternative or additional accelerationsensors may be coupled to the engine, transmission, body structure, orelsewhere, capable of measuring a variety of acceleration components ofthe vehicle. For example, a yaw sensor may be included in the system.Also, the acceleration sensors, such as 226 and 227, may be independentfrom the vehicle wheels.

Wheel speed sensors 228 a, 230 a, 232 a, and 234 a, may be coupled toeach of the vehicle's wheels 228, 230, 232, and 234, respectively. Thewheel speed sensors are configured to measure the rotational speed ofeach individual wheel. Further, wheel brake mechanisms 236, 238, 240,and 242 are coupled to each wheel, 228, 230, 232, and 234, respectively.In this example, the wheel brake mechanisms include actuators (notshown), pads (not shown), rotors (not shown), etc. In other examples,other suitable wheel braking mechanisms may be utilized.

A vehicle stability controller 244 may be electronically coupled to thewheel speed sensors, 228 a, 230 a, 232 a, and 234 a, the wheel brakemechanisms, as well as the lateral acceleration sensor 226 andlongitudinal acceleration sensor 227. In some examples, vehiclestability controller may be included in engine controller 12. In otherexamples vehicle stability controller 244 and engine controller 12 maybe separate controllers.

The ESC system adjusts vehicle actuators to assist in maintaining thevehicle on the driver's intended course. In one example, the ESC systemidentifies the driver's intended course from various driver inputs, andmonitors various sensors, including the acceleration sensors, toidentify deviations from the intended course, as well as potentialrolling action of the vehicle. In response to such condition, the systemadjusts one or more of the wheel brakes, engine torque, and/or otherparameters to reduce deviations in course, and increase the rollstability of the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the actual vehicle motion may be measured via alateral acceleration, yaw, and/or wheel speed measurement. The intendedcourse may be measured by a steering angle sensor. Further, the ESCsystem may take actions to correct under-steer or over-steer.

In another embodiment, even when the vehicle is following a desiredcourse, the ESC may take corrective action to increase or improve thevehicle's stability. For example, the RSC system may determine if one ormore wheels of the vehicle may lose contact with the road due to anincrease in lateral acceleration. If so, the RSC system may brake one ormore wheels and/or decrease the power produced by the engine ordelivered to the wheels.

FIG. 3 shows an example surge compensation block diagram. Specifically,the block diagram shows how one or more accelerations sensors areprocessed differently to provide a first set of data for vehiclestability control and a second set of data for vehicle surge control.FIG. 3 shows a surge control block 302 and stability control block 304communicating with sensors 310. The surge control block 302 and thestability control block 304 also communicate with a plurality of engineand vehicle actuators 306.

Sensors 310 may include one or more acceleration sensors (312 to 314),such as sensors 226 and 227. Further, additional sensors may also beused. The engine actuators may include valve timing, air-fuel ratio,airflow, spark timing, etc. The vehicle actuators may include one ormore wheel brakes.

Continuing with FIG. 3, surge control block 302 includes initialprocessing block 316 which identifies a longitudinal accelerationcomponent from sensors 310. For example, data from a plurality ofaccelerometers, at least some oriented to indicate different directionsof acceleration with respect to the vehicle, may be processed toidentify longitudinal acceleration component. These components may thenbe combined to identify a more accurate longitudinal acceleration, thatis passed to band pass filter 318.

Band pass filter 318 filters the longitudinal acceleration component atand about a band frequency determined based on an expected surgeoscillation frequency. In one example, the band pass filter may reducethe magnitude of frequencies outside the frequency band passed by thefilter. The expected surge oscillation frequency may be determined as afunction of engine speed, engine load, gear ratio, EGR amount, valvetiming, spark timing, spark adjustment feedback gains for knock-sensorbased spark control, etc. In one example, as the engine speed increases,the expected surge frequency may increase. Likewise, as the enginetorque is reduced, the expected surge frequency may decrease. The outputof the filter 318 is passed to the surge compensation block 320, whichmay execute the routines of FIGS. 4-5, for example.

Concurrently, data from the acceleration sensors 310 is passed to thestability control block 304, where initial processing is carried out at322, and then the processed data is passed to the stability controlblock 324. The processing at 322 may include various filtering,including removing signal content at frequencies at or around theexpected surge frequency. As described herein, the stability controlblock 324 may adjust one or more engine or vehicle actuators to increasestability, maintain intended course, or both.

FIG. 4 shows an example process flow of a surge detection routine. At410, the routine determines a frequency band for band pass filteringlongitudinal acceleration data, such as from a longitudinalaccelerometer (e.g., 227) in one example. The frequency band may be setaround an expected surge frequency.

In one example, the expected surge frequency may be an expectedfrequency particular to dilution-induced surge. In another example, theexpected surge frequency may be based on parameters of the feedbackknock control system for adjusting spark timing in response to engineknock. For example, spark timing may be adjusted in a closed-loop mannerin response to feedback from a knock sensor, where a knock indicationresults in spark timing being retarded. The feedback knock control mayuse a proportional gain, the adjust the amount of retard proportionallyto a level of knock, a duration of knock, etc. As such, surge generatedat least partially due to knock sensor feedback-based spark control maybe expected at particular frequencies related to the feedback controlsystem parameters, such as the feedback gain.

The expected surge frequency may also be based on one or more of thefollowing, engine firing frequency, engine speed, vehicle speed,transmission gear ratio, engine output torque, engine temperature, EGRamount, valve timing, etc. For example, surge may occur at higherfrequencies during higher vehicle speeds. Similarly, surge may occur athigher frequencies in lower gears. Accordingly, the desired bandfrequency may be a function of both vehicle speed and gear ratio toincrease with increasing vehicle speed and decrease with increasinggear, where for higher gears, the engine turns at a slower speed for agiven wheel speed.

At 412, an acceleration signal from one or more accelerometers, such as227, is processed with the band pass filter having the desired bandfrequency from 410. In particular, the acceleration signal may beresponsive to various acceleration inputs at a plurality of frequencies.As such, the filter enables the fluctuations correlated to combustioninstability caused by excessive dilution and/or spark timing effects tobe differentiated and identified. At 414, the routine reads andprocesses the band pass filter output to identify surge. In one example,the routine identifies surge based on the band pass filteredacceleration, as well as based on various other operating parameters.Further, when the magnitude of a longitudinal component of theacceleration within the band is greater than a predetermined threshold,the controller identifies a surge condition.

At 416, the routine determine whether or not surge is identified. Ifsurge is not identified, then the routine ends. Otherwise, the routinecontinues to 418 to execute a surge compensation routine such as theexample routine described with regard to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 shows an example process flow of a surge control routine. First,at 502, the routine determines whether adjustment of spark timing basedon knock sensor feedback is active. For example, the routine maydetermine whether the spark timing is currently being adjusted (e.g.,retarded) due to a knock indication from a knock sensor. If so, theroutine continues to 504 to disable the feedback knock control for aduration, and set the spark timing to a predetermine amount of retardfrom MBT timing, such as 10 degrees, at 506. In this way, the routinemay isolate knock sensor feedback as a source of vehicle surge. Forexample, the routine may disable the knock sensor feedback for apredetermined number of engine cycles, or until a preselected conditionis met. The disabling may include setting the spark retard independentfrom knock sensor feedback during the duration.

If surge continues to persist, still further action may be taken.Specifically, in 510, the routine determines whether the current EGRlevel is zero. For example, the routine may determine whether a currentEGR flow is substantially zero, or determine whether an EGR valve isfully closed. If not, the routine continues to 512 to reduce the EGRamount entering the engine as another approach to reduce surge.Otherwise, the routine continues to 514.

At 514, the routine considers the setting of a variable cylinder valveactuator, such as variable cam timing (VCT). While this example refersto VCT, various other variable valve actuators may be used andconsidered, such as variable valve lift, variable valve timing, andcombinations thereof. Specifically, in 514, the routine determineswhether the VCT is at setting which provides a substantially minimaldilution with burned gas, for example minimum valve overlap. The minimaldilution setting may be mapped versus engine operating conditions, suchas engine speed and load, for example. If not, the routine continues to516 to adjust the VCT toward the minimal dilution cam timing. Otherwise,the routine continues to 518.

At 518, the routine determines whether the spark timing is retarded froma peak torque timing, such as MBT timing. Spark timing retard may bepresent for increasing exhaust gas temperature during catalyst light-offconditions, or due to feedback from a knock sensor indicating engineknock, as noted herein. Further, spark timing may be currently set at aretarded timing independent from knock sensor feedback (see 506). Ifspark timing is retarded from MBT, the routine continues to 520 toadvance spark timing toward the MBT timing. However, as this action mayincrease a likelihood of engine knock, other mitigating actions may betaken. For example, engine airflow and/or boosting may be reduced toreduce engine load.

Returning to FIG. 5, if spark timing is not retarded from MBT at 518,the routine continues to 522 to enrich the air-fuel mixture in thecombustion chamber. The enriched air-fuel ratio may increase combustionstability and thereby reduce surge. For example, during lean combustion,enrichment toward stoichiometry can increase stability. Likewise, duringstoichiometric combustion, enrichment toward a rich air-fuel ratio canincrease combustion stability. Further still, unintended lean combustionfrom degraded air-fuel control caused by fuel vapor purging may causecombustion-instability-related surge, and thus enrichment can addressthis phenomena as well.

Thus, as described above, in one embodiment, the routine first takesaction to reduce dilution in response to vehicle acceleration-relatedsurge. In particular, valve operation can be adjusted toward a reduceddilution setting, and exhaust gas recirculation can be reduced. In thismanner, exhaust residuals in the combustion chamber can be reduced.However, in some examples, even when EGR is fully reduced, and the valvetiming is set to a substantially minimal dilution setting, poorcombustion stability may occur and cause surge. As such, the routine canfurther compensate for such conditions by adjusting another operatingparameter of the engine to reduce surge, such as ignition timing and/orcombustion air-fuel ratio.

While above embodiment provides one order of adjustment of the variousoperating parameters, various other alternative orders of adjustment maybe used. Further, the parameters may be adjusted concurrently under someoperating conditions. Further still, the routine may adjust only asubset, or a single, operating parameter, such as variable cam timing.For example, during one condition, air-fuel ratio may be enriched inresponse to surge detection from an accelerometer, whereas duringanother, different condition, cylinder dilution may be adjusted. Asnoted herein, the dilution in the cylinder can be adjusted by reducingEGR alone. In another example, surge control may be achieved by dilutioncontrol, where during one condition EGR is reduced, and during anothercondition cam timing is adjusted toward the minimal dilution cam timing.In still another example, both the EGR and cam timing can beconcurrently adjusted until each reaches the minimal dilution state, andthen both ignition timing advance and enrichment can be concurrentlyperformed.

Additionally, other surge mitigating actions may be taken, such as fromany of 512 516, 522, and/or 520. These additional mitigating actions mayinclude, under selected conditions, increasing slip across a torqueconverter coupled between the engine and transmission, or slipping otherpowertrain transmission clutches. In one particular example, acontrolled amount of slip may be provided by adjusting a lock-up clutchof the torque converter. Under such mitigating conditions, the routinemay un-lock the torque converter via the clutch and/or increase acontrolled amount of slip across the torque converter by modulating theclutch. The clutch may control the slip to a desired level based onfeedback from the engine speed and transmission speed sensors (thattogether provide an indication of slip). The amount of increase in theslip may be proportional to the degree of surge identified via thevehicle acceleration.

It will be appreciated that the configurations and routines disclosedherein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments arenot to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variationsare possible. For example, the above technology can be applied to V-6,I-4, I-6, V-12, opposed 4, and other engine types. The subject matter ofthe present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinationsand subcombinations of the various systems and configurations, and otherfeatures, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein.

The following claims particularly point out certain combinations andsubcombinations regarded as novel and nonobvious. These claims may referto “an” element or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof. Suchclaims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more suchelements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.Other combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features,functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through amendmentof the present claims or through presentation of new claims in this or arelated application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, ordifferent in scope to the original claims, also are regarded as includedwithin the subject matter of the present disclosure.

1. A method for operating an engine of a vehicle, the engine having acombustion chamber, comprising: controlling a stability of the vehiclein response to a vehicle acceleration; and adjusting spark timing in thecombustion chamber of the engine in response to a knock indication, andfurther adjusting spark timing in response to the vehicle accelerationto reduce surge.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling vehiclestability includes actuating one or more wheel brake mechanisms in thevehicle, where vehicle roll stability is controlled.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein adjusting spark timing includes setting spark timingindependent from feedback from a knock sensor, for at least a duration.4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting dilution in thecombustion chamber in response to the vehicle acceleration.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising adjusting an additional operatingparameter in response to the vehicle acceleration to reduce surge,wherein adjusting the additional operating parameter includes reducingexhaust gas recirculation.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprisingadjusting an additional operating parameter in response to the vehicleacceleration to reduce surge, wherein adjusting the additional operatingparameter includes enriching an air-fuel ratio in the combustionchamber.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting thespark timing in response to a magnitude of the acceleration at or abouta surge frequency.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprisingfiltering the vehicle acceleration to reduce frequencies outside thesurge frequency, where the surge frequency is determined based on aparameter of knock feedback control.
 9. A system for a vehicle includingan engine, the engine having one or more cylinders, comprising: avehicle acceleration sensor coupled in the vehicle; a wheel speed sensorcoupled to a wheel of the vehicle; a wheel brake mechanism coupled tothe wheel of the vehicle; and a control system for adjusting the wheelbrake mechanism in response to the vehicle acceleration sensor toimprove the stability of the vehicle during traveling conditions of thevehicle, the control system further filtering the acceleration sensor topass frequencies at or around a surge frequency, and adjusting sparktiming in the one or more cylinders of the engine in response to whethera magnitude of the acceleration at the passed frequencies is greaterthan a threshold magnitude.
 10. The system of claim 9 wherein thecontrol system further includes a band-pass filter configured to passfrequencies at or around the surge frequency.
 11. The system of claim 10where the acceleration sensor is a lateral acceleration sensor.
 12. Thesystem of claim 10 wherein the acceleration sensor is a longitudinalacceleration sensor.
 13. The system of claim 12 further comprising aknock sensor, wherein the controller disables feedback adjustment ofspark timing responsive to the knock sensor and retards spark timing apredetermined amount when the magnitude is greater than the thresholdmagnitude, the controller further advancing spark timing from thepredetermined amount of retard if the magnitude continues to remaingreater than the threshold magnitude.
 14. A method for operating anengine of a vehicle, the engine having a combustion chamber, comprising:controlling a stability of the vehicle in response to a vehiclelongitudinal acceleration indicated from an accelerometer coupled in thevehicle; adjusting spark timing in the combustion chamber of the enginein response to feedback from a knock indication; and when vehicle surgeis identified by the vehicle acceleration from the accelerometer,adjusting spark timing to retard spark timing by a predetermined amount,the predetermined amount independent from the knock feedback.
 15. Themethod of claim 14 further comprising band pass filtering the vehicleacceleration to identify vehicle surge, where the spark is adjustedbased on the band pass filtered vehicle acceleration to reduce surge,and where the feedback is disabled based on identified surge.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 wherein feedback is disabled for a predeterminedduration.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein a band of the band passfiltering is based on a gain of the spark timing feedback adjustment.18. A method for operating an engine of a vehicle, the engine having acombustion chamber, comprising: controlling a stability of the vehiclein response to a vehicle longitudinal acceleration indicated from anaccelerometer coupled in the vehicle; retarding spark timing in thecombustion chamber of the engine from peak torque timing in response toan operating condition; and when vehicle surge is identified by thevehicle acceleration from the accelerometer, advancing spark timing. 19.The method of claim 18 wherein the operating condition includes a coldcatalyst condition, where spark timing is advanced while reducing engineboost in response to the identified surge.
 20. The method of claim 18further comprising adjusting a torque converter lock-up clutch toincrease torque converter slip across in response to the identifiedsurge.